Pipe wrench



27 1939 L. KUHN PIPE WRENCH I Filed Aug. 1 1958 Inv tor K 2 e C PatentedJune 27, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to pipe wrenches, and has for the primary objectthe provision of an efiicient and inexpensive device of this characterwhich will be sturdy in construction and capable of withstanding severestrain and is so constructed as to permit easy and quick application ofthe jaws thereof to a pipe or similar device and which will assureagainst slipping of the jaws on the pipe while in the act of rotatingthe pipe.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts tobe hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had tothe following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 isa side elevation illustrating a pipe wrench constructed in accordancewith my invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View illustrating the meansof releasably securing the movable jaw in its various adjusted positionson the handle of the wrench.

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 2 illustrating a modification ofthe invention.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figures 2 and 3 illustrating anothermodification of the invention.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral 5 indicates a handle ofa selected length and of stock capable of withstanding severe strain.Formed integrally with one end of the handle is a relatively fixed jaw 6having a work-engaging serrated face 1. Associated with the handle 5 isa movable jaw 8 having a serrated workengaging face 9. The work engagingfaces 1 and 9 are arranged at diverging relation with respect to eachother.

A yoke or strap l forms an integral part of the movable jaw 8 and isslidably mounted on the handle and has detachably secured thereto acasing ll. Bolts I2 are employed for removably securing the casing onthe strap or yoke Ill. The handle 5 has formed thereon holding teeth I3over which the yoke or strap slides and the latter is provided with anopening I 4 through which operates a pivotally mounted dog l5. The dogI5 is pivotally mounted in the casing II and is spring influenced toengage with the teeth l3 for retaining the jaw 8 in various adjustedpositions with respect to the jaw 6. The spring which acts on the dog isof the leaf type, as shown at l6, and is suitably mounted on the casing.A finger piece I! is slidably mounted in the casing and engages with thedog whereby the latter may be readily moved out of engagement with theteeth l3 to permit adjustment of the jaw 8 towards and from the jaw 6.

If desired, a pair of dogs l8 may be pivotally mounted in the casing toengage with the teeth l3 and are similarly constructed to the dog I 5and are spring influenced. Engageable with the dogs I8 is a plate l9carrying a finger piece 20 slidably mounted in the casing whereby bothof said dogs may be simultaneously disengaged from the teeth l3. Inlarge size wrenches it may be desirable to employ three or more dogs forreleasably securing the movable jaw in its adjusted position. Three ofsuch dogs are indicated by the character 2| in Figure 4. The dogs 2| arespring influenced to engage with the teeth l3 and are engaged by a plate22 carrying a finger piece 23 whereby all three dogs may besimultaneously disengaged from the teeth l3 when desiring to adjust thejaw 8 relative to the jaw 6.

A wrench of the character shown and described in detail may be easilyand quickly adjusted to a pipe or like device by simply pressing on thefinger piece to release the dogs from the teeth l3 so that both jaws[may be brought firmly into engagement with the pipe. As soon as thefinger piece is released, the dogs are influenced in engagement with theteeth l3, consequently firmly holding the movable jaw in its adjustedposition with respect to the relatively fixed jaw 6. Due to thediverging serrated faces of said jaws they will firmly grip a pipe whenpressure is placed upon the handle. The casing being removable from theyoke or strap permits examination and repair of the dogs when necessary.

It is believed that the foregoing description, when taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawing, will fully set forth the construction andadvantages of this invention to those skilled in the art to which such adevice relates, so that further detailed description will not benecessary.

What I claim is:

. In a wrench of the character described, a handle having teeth and afixed jaw, a slidable jaw for coaction with the fixed jaw, a yokecarried by the slidable jaw and slidably receiving the handle and havingspaced openings to expose the teeth of the'handle covered by said yoke,a casing detachably mounted on the yoke to cover the openings, a seriesof dogs pivoted in the casing for movement through the openings toengage the teeth and each of substantially L-shape, leaf springs carriedby the casing and bearing against the dogs to urge the latter inengagement with the teeth, a plunger slidable in the casing, and a platecarried by the plunger and engaging the dogs to permit the simultaneousdisengagement of the dogs from the teeth by the manual actuation of theplunger.

LAWRENCE KUHN.

